Electroplating apparatus



F. G. PURINTON ELEGTROF-LATING APPARATUS Filed .006. 25, 1922 -4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug. 19 a 1924s 1505;424

F. G. PURINTON ELECTROPLATING APPARATUS 1 SHe-iaiss-Shc 2 Filed Oct. 25, 19 22 IN V EN TOR.

Bi ge 1 ATTORNEY Aug. 19 1924.

$305,424 F. e. PURINTON ELECTROELATING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 25; 1922 4 Shee"-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. flrresz fifari'izfaiz ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 19, i924.

it s1" res 1.505.424 fr; QFHQE.

FORREST e. r'oniuroitoie wnrnaismar, connnctrrcucr.

, nrncrnornarnve APPARATUS.

App1ication filedkOctober 25, 1922. Serial No. 596,788.

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, FonRnsT PURINTON,

a citizen of the United States, and a resident".

of lVaterbury, county of New Haven, and

State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in *Elecing is a specification.

This invention relates to electroplating and more particularly to a mechanically op-, eratecl electroplating apparatus designed to plate large quantities of small articles in bulk.-

troplating Apparatus, of which'the followan electroplating apparatus having a rotary plating barrel which may be easily and quickly raised and lowered from the plating tank for draining, dumping, and recharging without the use of cranes, over-head trolleys or other complicated mechanism.

A further object is to provide an electro plating apparatus in which theoperation of raising the tumbling barrel out" of the plating tank will automatically shut off the current and at the same time disconnect:

the driving mechanism.

A further object is to provide improved anode and cathode connections for the plating barrel and tank.

"A further object is to provide resilient cathode brushes adapted toengage the shaft of the rotary plating barrel when the latter is in plating position.

A further object is to provide a rotary I plating barrel having an improvedformof' dumping door and improved means for detachably .lockingsaid door to saidbarrel.

A furtherobject is to provide anelectro plating tank having a series of anodes of improved form and shape, said anodes being secured to the current lead wires by an im-y proved method. i I A furtherobje'ct is to provide anelectroplating apparatus of the above nature h'avl ing an improved form of guldmgpan assof mated with Sit-1d plating barrel, said pan] being. adapted when n the draining position;

to direct the dripping electrolyte back into the plating tank,and when in dumpingposition to serve asa chuteto 'direct the plated articles into a suitable receptacle. A further object is to providean appa' ratus for electroplating amass of small arti-' cles which will be simple, cheap to manufacture, easy to operatenand very efiicientQ anddurable in use. Q l

One object, of this invention is to provide.

lVith these and other objects in view, there I have been illustrated on the accompanying drawings one form in which the invention may be conveniently embodied in practice.

' Fig. 1 represents a front perspective view of the complete electroplating apparatus. with the parts arranged in plating position. Fig. 2 is a rear perspective view of the same.

Fig' 3 isa top View of the plating tank and rotary plating barrel, with certain parts removed for greater clearnessthe plating barrel being shown in section;

Fig. 4. is a front view of the apparatus tank and anodes, certain parts being broken away, and other parts being removed for greater olearness.

Fig. 9 is a perspective View of the plating barrel, shown detached from the remainder of the apparatus and with its cover removed.

Fig. '10 is a perspective view of the detachable cover of the plating barrel.

Fig. 11 is a sectional view taken through the edge of the barrel and its detachablecover, showing themethod by which these parts are fastened togethera Fig. 12is a sectional view taken through the upper end of one of the'anodes, showing the manner in whichthe current lead wire is swaged thereto. I 7

Referring now to the drawings in which like reference numerals denote correspondlng parts throughout the several views, the numerals 10 and .11 represent side standards I or; supports for the semicircular plating tank 12; Theplating tank 12 is preferably constructed of wood and has heads 13 and 14 fitted within annular grooves 15-formed near thesides of the circular rim '16 of the plating tank. As will beclear from the drawing, the heads 13 and 14 of the tank12 are notfiush withthe endsof the circular rim] 16 but are spaced inwardly a short'distance therefrom. The se'micircularrim 16is made up of a series of parallel longitudinal strips constituting part of the framework of the tank. Stay-rods18 which pass through the ends of said enlarged strips are employed stance,) which are threaded at their ends and provide with nuts 20 and washers 2O seated within suitable recesses 21 which are open. at'the'top and on the sides to permit easy manipulation by a wrench or other tool. The rim of the tank is slotted at each end, the slotted portions embracing bars 22 and 23 of the side frames 10 and 11, whereby the tank is firmly supported against longitudinal 'movement. The side bars 22 and 23. are preferably secured to base strips 23 of the standards lO-and 11 by means of bolts 23 and 23 as clearly shown in Fig, 4. I

A series'of anodes 24 of any suitable number'are directly supported in the plating tank upon longitudinal strips 24". The anodes 24 are preferably" made semi-circular to correspond with the shape of the rim of the plating tank 12, and it will be noted that no hooks are required to support them as was the case in former types of apparatus. 1

The anodes 24 are preferably rectangular in cross section, but it will be understood i that circular or elliptical anodes may be employedif desired. p

The terminals of the anodes24 maybe connected to. current lead wires 26 in any suitable manner, but it is preferred to insert the ends of-the lead wires 26 in'drill'ed holes 25 in the anode terminals (Fig. 11) and then to swage up the metal of the anodes at 27 to form tight electrical connections. The lead wires 26 may be connected to a suitable bus 'bar (not shown) or other suitable source of current.

The heads 13 and 14 of the plating tank are provided with circular'recesses 28 which I are adapted, toprovide clearance for a shaft 29 having a rotary tumbling barrel 30 fixedly mounted thereon. A fulcrum shaft 31 is mounted in fixed bearings 32 and 33 located near the. sides of the tank heads 13 and .14. The fulcrumshaft 31 preferably,

extends, out on each, end slightly. beyond the bearings 32 and 33 as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 5, and said extending ends are provided with barrel operating arms 34 and 35. The'barrel operating arms 34 and 35,

' and thefulcrum shaft 31 thus. constitute a rigid frame adapted to. rock about its axis,

to move the tumbling barrelinto plating,

being provided with a pair of ears 37,

and being adapted to lie in a recess 37 in a disk-shaped counterweight 38. The counterweight 38 is secured to the arm' 36 by the use of a bolt 39 having a head 40 on one end and a washer 41 and nut 42 on .its other end. In the present embodiment of the invention, only a single counterweight disk has been disclosed, but it will be under stood that extra disks or wafers may be added if desired, whenever the weight of the material being plated becomes excessive.

As most clearly shown in Figs. 3, 4, and 9, the barrel 30 consists of a pair of heads 43 and 44, which are preferably polygonal in shape, having in this instance-sixteen sides. Each of the heads 43 and 44 is split into two halves, and is provided with a central shaft-hole 45 surrounded by four symmetrically spaced apertures 46 for receiving the cathode wires. An aperture 47 is also provided for receiving a dowel pin 48 for the purpose of looking a barrel cover 49 to the barrel 30. v

The barrel heads 43 and 44 are conected on theirflat edges by means of a series of flat perforated strips 50, preferably of a pair of heads 53 and 54 formed substan-x tially in the shape of a segmentof a circle of the same diameter as the barrel heads. and having on its circumference a seriesof fiat sides corresponding with the sides of the polygonal heads 43 and 44-of the barrel. The cover heads 53 and 54 are connected by means of cross staves 55 similar in all respects to the strips 50 of the barrel. The

barrel heads are provided with apertures 56 having flanged bushings 57 seated thereon. A similar flanged bushing 58 is seated in each of the apertures'47 of the barrel heads previously described. The bushings 57 and 58 may be made of any suitable non-con ducting material such as rubber, porcelain, orthe like.

The dowel pin 48 (Fig. 11) is provided with a shoulder 59 adaptedto engage a flange 59 on the bushing 57 of the cover head. The dowel pin 48 may also be provided with a knob 60 to facilitate the convenient manual manipulation thereof. Moreover, if desired, rubber tubing (not shown) may be employed on the edges'of the cover where it comes into contact with the barrel to form a tight joint.

The cathode of the electroplating apparatus is located within the barrel 30, and comprises a series of spaced metal rods 61, four in this instance. These metal rods 61, as more clearly shown in Fig. .3, extend the entire length of the barrel 30, and pass through the apertures 46 and 52%in the heads 4L3 and 14 beyond which the rods 61 are bent inwardly at right angles radially toward the shaft 29. Themetal cathode rods 61 are preferably equally spaced around the circumference of the barrel 30 so that at least oneiof them will always be immersed in the plating solution and in contact with the mass of metal articles being plated. The terminals 61Hof said cathode rods 61 are flattened and perforated so that they may be connected in any suitable manner, as by bolts62, to the flanges 63. The flanges 63 arerigidly secured to the shaft 29, as by :the pins 64. The terminals 61 of the cathoderods 61, as well as the angular sections which pass through the apertures 46 and 52 are preferably protected by short lengths of rubber tubing 65, shown partly broken away in Fig. t, which serve to insulate the sections of the cathodes not intended to contact with work to be plated, and thereby preventany current leakage or stray current. The flanges 63 and their cathode connections are preferably insulated from the solution by means of asphaltum paint or other suitable material. I i Y p After passing out of the plating solution through the cathode rods 61 and the flanges 63 at the ends of the barrel, the plating current is conducted through both ends of,

the shaft 29 to a pair of resilient brushes 66, whence it leaves the apparatus through a suitable conducting wire 72 leading to a bus bar, not shown.

Each of the brushes 66 as shown in Fig. 7 is provided with a flat base 67 having. pair of apertures 68 and 69. A screw bolt 70 is adapted to fit within the aperture 68 to secure the brush to the heads 13 and 14 of the tank. The other apertures 69 are provided with bolts 71 having nuts 72 threaded thereon for tightly holding the flattened and perforated ends of the conducting wires 72 Each of thebrushes 66 has an upstanding intermediate section 73 terminating in a cylindrical top portion 74, said top portion being split "into a plurality of downwardly extending resilient fingers 75 adapted to engage'the shaft 29 wlieirtl e' barrel is in plating position.'- One advantage of the split construction of the brushes 66 is that the current passes from the shaft 29 through a large number of paths and the contact surfaces are always kept clean. lVhile in the preferred embodiment of the inventionherein illustrated, brushes 66 are mounted upon both ends of the electroplating tank, as shown, it will be understood that it isv within the spirit of the present inventionto employ only a single brush if desired.

In order to permit the plating barrel to readily drain into the tank, and also to direct the plated articles into a suitable receptacle 99, provision is made of a guiding pan rigidly mounted on the fulcrum shaft 31. As most clearly shown in Fig. 6,the guiding pan comprises a flat base 7 6 having apair of securing straps 77 secured thereto as by rivets 78. The straps 77 are looped at 79, near one end, away from the flat base 76, said looped sections being fitted about the fulcrum shaft 31 and adjustably secured rotatably mounted in a bearing 86 secured to the tank head 13 in any suitable manner as by screws. A gear 87 is secured to the pulley shaft and is adapted to'automatically' come into'mesh' with a gear 88, fastened upon the end 'ofthe barrel shaft 29, when the barrel 30 is lowered to plating position.

The mechanismfor manually rocking the barrel out of the tank intodraining-and dumping posit-ions, when the plating has been completed, comprises a worm shaft 89mounted in a bearing plate 90 the latter having enlarged journal portions 91 and 92.

the worm shaft 89. I

VVhen' the handwheel 93 is operated, a worm on the shaft 89 and a gear 96 meshing therewith will be rotated.

fulcrum shaft 31'beyond the point of attach- 31. that asmall force exerted'upon the handle 94will be sufficient to cause the plating barrel-together with a heavy charge of metallic articlesto be easily rocked about its axis into and out of the plating tank.

It will also be noted that by reason of the friction between the worm 95 and the gear A. hand wheel 93 having a suitable handle 9a is securedupon the outer end of The gear 96 is, fixedly secured'to the end of the 120 ment of the arm 35 and its rotation will" rock the barrel 30 about the fulcrum shaft One advantage of this construct-ionis" 96 the mechanism will be self-locking, and the barrel will remain in any desired position without additional supporting means.

In order to limit the downward rocking movement of the barrel in its plating and dumping positions respectively, a pair of upstanding stops 97 and 98 are provided upon the outer and inner ends respectively of the worm shaft bearing 90. A similar pair of stops 97 and 98 may also be located on a bracket 98 The stops 97 and 97 are preferably made adjustable to permit the gears 87 and 88 toaccurately mesh.

In operation, assuming that the plating of one batch of articles has been completed, the barrel may be raised out of the plating solution into draining position by rotating the handwheel 93 in clockwise direction. The guiding pan will then direct the dripping liquid back into the tank. The operation of raising the barrel out of its normal plating position will move the shaft 29 out of contact with the brushes 66 and the electrical circuit through the plating tank will thus be automatically broken. At the same time, the barrel-tumbling gear 88 mounted on the shaft 29 will automatically cease to revolve, as it will move out of mesh with the driving gear 87.

After the barrel has drained sufficiently, the operator will continue the rotation of the handwheel 93 until the barrel has been moved to the dumping and recharging position shown in Fig. 5. The dowel pins 48 may then be taken out by manipulating the knobs 60, whereupon the cover 49 may be removed from the barrel 30. The barrel may then be readily dumped into a suitable receptable 99 by rotating it aboutthe shaft 29 until the uncovered opening is immediately above the guiding pan, the inclined sides 81 and 82 of which form a chute for the falling articles.

A new charge of unplated articles may then be placed in the barrel after which the cover will be replaced and locked in position. If desired, while the barrel is in dumping and recharging position the plating tank may be readily cleaned out, or suitable materials added thereto to strengthen the plating solution.

To return the barrel to "the plating position shown in Fig. 1, the handwheel 93 will then be rotated in counter-clockwise direction. At the lowermost, or plating position of the barrel, the arm 34 will engage the adjustable, stop '97 and the shaft 29 of the barrel will come to rest above the recesses 28 in the tank heads 13 and 14.

As will be evident, with the present invention, the gear 88.0n the shaft 29 will automatically engage with the driving gear 87- without the necessity of employing a separate clutch as has been usual in the past with rotary plating apparatus; The shaft- 29 will also automatically come into electrical contact with the brushes 66 and the current will be turned on without requiring the use of separate switches for this purpose. I

During plating, the solution in the tank will be kept continuously agitated by the rotation of the barrel. The mass of small articles being plated will tumble over one another and any hydrogen bubbles which may be liberated-by electrolysis on the surface of the work will thus be readily loosened therefrom and will rise to the surface of the liquid, permitting the plating to efliciently proceed with great rapidity even at quite high current densities.

The flow of current through the apparatus. is from the incoming lead wires 26 to the anodes 2 1, through the plating solu tion, cathode wires 61, flanges 63, shaft 29, brushes 66, and lead wires 72*.

VVhile the apparatus herein described is especially designed for the plating of metal, it will be understood that it may be employed equally Well for the electrolytic cleaning of metals or other materials for the removal of scale, rust, sand, etc., and also for oxidizing metals such as brass.

One advantage of the present invention is that the cathode connections may be readily renewed whenever desired.

Another important advantage is that the operating gears for tumbling the barrel are located entirely outside of the tank, and are arranged in such a position that lubricating oil from the bearings thereof cannot possibly drop into the plating solution.

While there has been disclosed in this specification one form inwhich the invention may be embodied, it is to be understood that this form is shown for the pure pose of illustration only, and that the in vention is not to be limited tothe specific disclosure, but may be modified and embodied in various other forms Without departing from its spirit. In short, the invention includes all the modifications and embodiments coming within the scope of the following claims.

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new, and for which it is desired to secure Letters Patent, is:

'1. In an electroplating apparatus, a plating tank adapted to contain a plating solution, a rotary plating barrel adapted to contain a mass of small articles to'be plated, said barrel being mounted on a shaft, an arm pivoted to said shaft, said arm being pivoted on said tank, and means for rocking said arm about its axis to raise the plating barrel out of the plating tank.

2. In an electroplating apparatus, a tank adapted to contain a plating solution, a fulcrum shaft mountedto rotate in stationary bearings on said-tank, said shaft having. a lever secured thereto, a plating barrel connected to the free end of said lever, a gear connected to said barrel, a driving gear mounted on said tank and adapted to mesh with said barrel gear when the plating barrel is lowered into the plating tank, a worm gear on said fulcrum shaft, a worm engaging said worm gear, and means for rotating said worm for causing said lever to rock about its fulcrum to raise and lower theplating barrel, the friction between said worm and worm gear serving to lock the plating barrel in any desired position.

3. In an electroplating apparatus, a plating tank adapted to contain a plating solution, a fulcrum shaft mounted in stationary bearings upon said tank, a lever secured to said fulcrum shaft, said lever having a rotary plating barrel secured on one end, and having a counterweight upon its other end, hand-operated means for rotating said lever to raise and lower the plating barrel out of the plating tank, means adapted to tumble said barrel and operative only when it is" in its lowermost position in the tank, said tank having an anode and a cathode, and a resilient contact brush on said tank adapted to be electrically connected with said cathode only when the barrel is in plating position.

4. In an electroplating apparatus, a plating tank adapted to contain a plating solution, an anode and a cathode, a fulcrum shaft mounted in stationary bearings on said tank, a lever secured to said fulcrum shaft, said lever carrying a counterweight, a rotary plating barrel rigidly mounted on a driving shaft, and an arm directly connecting said driving shaft and said fulcrum shaft. I

5. In an electroplating apparatus, a plating tank adapted to contain a plating solution, an anode and a cathode, a fulcrum shaft mounted in stationary bearings on said tank, a lever secured to said fulcrum shaft, a counter weight on said lever, a rotary plating barrel, an arm connecting said'fulcrum shaft and plating barrel, a pan secured to said fulcrum shaft to "direct the plating liquid draining from the plating material back into the tank in draining position, and to serve as a chute to direct the plated articles into a receptacle in dumping position, and means for manually rotating said fulcrum shaft to cause the lever and arm to rotate thereon, whereby the barrel will be lifted out of the tank and swung into draining and dumping positions.

6. In an electroplating apparatus, a plat-' ing tank, a fulcrum shaft mounted on said tank, a rotary plating barrel, a frame pivoted to said barrel for swinging said barrel about said fulcrum shaft into draining and dumping positions, a driving gear, a driven gear connected with said barrel, said gears being adapted to mesh only when the barrel is in plating position, and means for conducting a current through said plating apparatus, the circuit being automatically broken when the barrel is lifted out of the tank. 7

7. In anelectroplating apparatus, a plating tank adapted to contain a plating solution, a rotary plating barrel pivoted on a rocking frame and adapted to contain a mass of small articles to be plated, said frame being pivoted on said tank,1neans for rocking said frame about its pivot to swing the plating barrel out of the tank, means for tumbling said barrel, means for passing a current through said plating solution, said barrel-tumbling means being disengaged and said current being interrupted when the barrel is raised out of the'plat-ing solution. V 8.. In an electroplating apparatus, a plating tank containing a plating solution, a rocking frame pivoted onsaid tank, a plating barrel pivoted in the outer end of said frame, a worm and gear mechanism for rocking'said frame "about its pivot, and a counterweight mounted on said frame to balance the weight of said platingbarrel and contents, means fortumbling said barrel operative only when the barrel is within the plating solution, said.barrel tumbling.means being automatically disconnected when the barrel is raised out of the tank.

9. In an electroplating apparatus, a source of plating current, a plating tank, an anode in said tank, a rotary plating barrel adapted to be lowered into and raised out of said tank, said plating barrel containing a cathode, a resilient metal brush secured to said tank and adapted to conduct current fromsaid cathode when the barrel is in plating position, means for tumbling said barrel,

resilient brush mounted on said tank for conducting the current from said shaft during the platingoperation. I I

11. In an electroplating apparatus, a plating tank adapted to contain an anode and a; plating solution, a rotary plating barrel adapted to contain a mass of articles to be plated, a cathode in said barrel, a shaft for said barrel electrically connected with said. cathode, a resilient brush on said plating tank adapted to contact with said metal shaftwhen the barrel is in plating position, the

electrical connection between said brush and shaft being automatically broken when the barrelis raised. I

12. In an electroplating apparatus, a plating tank adapted to contain an anode and a plating solution, a plating barrel adapted to rotate in said tank, said barrel being perforated to permit free circulation of the plating solution therethrough, a cathode in said barrel, said cathode comprising a plurality of spaced wires extending through both heads of the barrel and having their ends bent inwardly toward the axis of the barrel, means for electrically connecting said wires together, and means for automatically breaking the circuit through the apparatus when the barrel is raised from the tank.

' 13. In an electroplating apparatus, a plating tank, an anode in said tank, a plating barrel adapted to rotate in said tank, and

adapted to contain a mass of small articles rel, said cathode elements connected to said tobe plated, a plurality of cathode elements in said barrel, said barrelbeing mounted on a central shaft, a pair of flanges secured to said shaft beyond the heads of said barflanges, and means forinsulating said cathode elements from the plating solution.

. 14. In an electroplating apparatus, a plating tank, a barrel adapted to rotate in said tank and adapted tocontain a mass of small articles to be plated, a plurality of cathode elements in said barrel, said barrel being mounted ona central shaft, a pair of flanges secured to said shaft beyond the heads of said barrel, said cathode elements being connected to said flanges, each cathode element having an insulating coating except on the inside of said barrel heads,

15. In an electroplating apparatus, a plating tank, said plating tank being adapted to contain a plating solution and a cathode, and a series of substantially semi-circular anodes supported by means located below the surface of the plating solution, said anodes being electrically connected together, said anodes being-adapted to be connected to the source of current at either end, and extending around the barrel under the surface of the solution.

16. In an electroplating apparatus, a plating tank, apla-ting barrel, an anode mounted in said tank and uniformly spaced from said barrel, said anode having a recess in one terminal, a conducting wire mounted in said recess, said wire being secured in said recess by having the edges of said recess swaged inwardly against the surface of said wlre.

17. In an electroplating apparatus, a plating tank, a plating barrel, a semi-circular anode supported by insulating means located below the surface of the liquid in said tank and uniformly spaced from said barrel, each terminal of said anode having a recess, and conducting wires swaged into each of said recesses, said anode being connected at both ends to the source of current.

18. In an electroplating apparatus, a plating tank, a series of anodes supported by insulating means in slightly raised position upon the bottom of said tank, conducting wires secured to each terminal of each anode, said conducting wires being connected to a common source of power.

19. In an electroplating apparatus, a plating tank, a barrel adapted to rotate in said tank, means for raising said barrel above said tank to draining position, means for swinging said barrel to one side of said tank to dump-ing and charging position, and unit-ary means connected with said barrel swingback into the plating tank, and for guiding the plated articles while being dumped into a suitable receptacle. I c

20. In an electroplating apparatus, a plating tank, a frame mounted to rotate in fixed bearings upon said plating tank, a rotary plating barrel pivoted in said frame and manually operated means for rockingsaid frame to swing the plating barrel intoplating position, draining position, and dumping position. v

21 In an electroplating apparatus, a plating tank, a barrel adapted to rotate in said tank, a shaft mounted in stationary bearings at one side of said tank, means secured to said shaft for swinging said barrel out of said plating tank successively into draining and dumping positions, and a guiding pan for directing the draining liquid back into said tank andfor guiding the plated work, while being dumped, into a suitable receptacle, said guiding pan having a flat bottom portion of the periphery of'said barrel, the

remaining portion being left open t0-permit the barrel to be charged and dumped, a cover for said open portion comprising a pair of segmental heads connected by a plurality of strips, said barrel heads and segmental heads having alined apertures,

tubular bushings seated in said apertures,

and a. pair of detachable pins adapted to fit within said alined bushings to hold the cover in closed position.

In testimony whereof, I have affixed my signature to this specification.

roaansr e. PURINTON. 

